Jets scout reveals ideal first-round picks in 2026 NFL Draft

With the New York Jets selecting at No. 2 overall, there is only one player who could be selected before their pick. That player is going to be Fernando Mendoza, as the Las Vegas Raiders are set to take the Indiana quarterback first overall.

That will leave the Jets with their pick of every other player in the draft at No. 2 overall. And down the board, they also own the No. 16 overall pick. The question now is who the Jets will go with each of those picks.

According to ESPN's Matt Miller, a member of the Jets' scouting department revealed the team's ideal first-round picks at No. 2 and No. 16 overall. While they didn't reveal the players, they did reveal the two positions: edge rusher and wide receiver.

Jets scout reveals 2 positions that would make ideal Round 1 for NYJ

"A source in their scouting department told me the ideal situation with their first round picks 'is edge and then getting a wide receiver,'" Miller reports.

This anonymous Jets' scouting department member called edge rusher and wide receiver as the team's ideal options in the first round.

With edge likely the option at No. 2 overall, their best options will be Texas Tech's David Bailey and Ohio State's Arvell Reese. Of these two, Reese might be the favorite, as the canceled top-30 visit for Bailey is noteworthy.

Then, down the board at No. 16 overall, wide receiver would become the obvious position to address in the middle of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

More: Jets' ideal pick at No. 2 overall is Arvell Reese out of Ohio State

Fortunately, there should be some solid options still on the board. It's not likely Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson or USC's Makai Lemon are on the board, but they would be great options.

But, if not one of those falling WRs, the Jets could take Washington's Denzel Boston, Texas A&M's KC Concepcion, or Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr.

Cooper is the likely favorite at No. 16, and he's the player Miller is predicting will be the Jets' pick in the middle of Round 1.

The Jets' ideal first-round, according to this anonymous Jets scouting department member, would have Darren Mougey walking out of Round 1 with an edge rusher and wide receiver, likely at No. 2 and No. 16, respectively.

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